Meet Todd Olander | Farmer/ Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Todd Olander and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Todd, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
One thing most people don’t realize about malting is how connected it is to the land. Malt starts as a seed in the ground, and how that grain is grown has a huge impact on both the environment and the final product. At Root Shoot, we grow and malt all our own grain using regenerative farming practices, which means we’re actually improving our soil while growing high-quality malt. That’s rare in agriculture. When brewers use our malt, they’re not just getting great flavor, they’re supporting a healthier planet, one batch at a time.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Root Shoot is a farm and craft malthouse based in Loveland, Colorado. We grow all of our own grain and malt it right here on-site, which is pretty rare in this industry. Most malted grain travels hundreds, even thousands of miles before it ever reaches a brewery. For us, it’s all about reducing our environmental footprint and staying connected to the land, from soil to pint.

What sets us apart is how we farm. We use regenerative practices that actually improve our soil health, and our fields are now carbon-negative. That means our farm is pulling more carbon out of the atmosphere than it puts in, just by the way we grow grain. That’s something I’m really proud of.

Getting here wasn’t easy. Building a malthouse from scratch, learning the craft, and getting brewers to trust a brand-new maltster took a lot of time, mistakes, and humility. But we kept showing up, kept listening, and kept working at it. I think that mindset of ‘sticking with it and staying curious’ helped us earn people’s trust.

The biggest lesson? Don’t be afraid to do things differently, especially if it’s the right thing. Whether that’s how you treat your land, your team, or your customers, people notice when it comes from a place of care. I want the world to know that Root Shoot is more than just malt. It’s about legacy, stewardship, and being part of something bigger than ourselves.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was in town for the week, I’d want to show them the full flavor of Northern Colorado and beyond: good people, good food, and a whole lot of craft.

We’d kick things off close to home in Loveland with a tour of Root Shoot so they can see where the malt magic starts. Then we’d head to City Star Brewing for beers and live music in their cozy beer garden.

One day would be all about Denver. We’d stop at Little Wolf – their new American Single Malt bar is top notch, and it’s pretty special to sip our own Root Shoot Whiskey. We’d also swing by The Family Jones Spirit House and Talnua Distillery – both have incredible spaces and are making some of the most exciting spirits in the state using our malt. Aside from their killer beers, Barquentine Brewing just released their very first single barrel pick of our High Rye Whiskey and the Edgewater Public Market has some great food vendors.

For beer, honestly, there are too many to count, but we’d hit some favorites all brewing with our malts: Bruz Beers for Belgian-style brews, Los Dos Potrillos for a killer chili relleno plate and great beer, Green Mountain Brewing Co for their award-winning Hefeweizen, or Littleton Brewery for their rooftop patio (they just opened and are crushing it).

We’d leave room for some mountain time, maybe a day trip to Estes Park or a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. It wouldn’t be a complete visit if we didn’t pay a visit to the Vault at the Stanley Hotel to sample through some rare whiskeys.

End the week back on the porch with a local beer and a Colorado sunset. That’s a pretty solid trip in my book.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Absolutely, there’s no way I’d be doing this without my family. Root Shoot is a fifth-generation farm, and every generation before me put in the hard work to keep this land going. My dad, especially, showed me what it means to take care of the soil and stay committed to something bigger than yourself. When we added the malthouse, it was a family effort through and through. My wife Emily has been a huge part of making this work. She brings so much heart and hustle to everything we do.

Beyond that, I’ve got to shout out the Colorado craft brewing and distilling communities. They took a chance on craft malt before it was cool, and they’ve stuck with us through every experiment, every harvest. This is as much their story as it is mine.

Website: https://www.rootshootmalting.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rootshootmalting

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/company/root-shoot-malting/

Twitter: https://x.com/rootshootmalt

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rootshootmalting

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbW0lNJBOwNIh-HU0I7Yqng

Image Credits
Emily Sierra Photography
Brewtography